1. The Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to watercraft such as motor boats, fishing boats, row boats, sailing boats, canoes, jet skis, etc. More specifically the present invention relates to determining whether a drain hole of the watercraft has a drain plug inserted therein.
2. The Relevant Technology
As is known, many varieties of watercraft are equipped with a drain hole at a low point of the watercraft to facilitate the drainage of excessive water accumulated during, use of the watercraft. In general, a user removes a drain plug from the drain hole, typically by unscrewing, and any excessive water is gravity drained from the watercraft. The drain plug is usually removed for extended periods of time so that the water can drain completely and so that various surfaces of the watercraft can dry out.
Frequently, however, the unscrewed drain plug is forgotten and the watercraft is deployed into a body of water without the drain plug ever having been re-inserted back into the drain hole. As a result, watercraft become vulnerable to sinking which potentially comes at the unnecessary expense of life and/or economic waste. To a less profound extent, watercraft having no drain plug are also subject to electrical malfunctions because onrushing water potentially serves to flood electrical wiring, components and battery compartments.
To this end, some prior art devices have been employed to indicate to a user whether or not the drain hole has a drain plug inserted therein. For example, one device utilizes a plunger, fastened by a bracket above the drain hole, to indicate whether the drain plug is depressing against the plunger or not. If the drain plug is depressing against the plunger, the indication is that the drain plug is inserted therein. Whereas, if the drain plug is not depressing against the plunger, the indication is the absence of the drain plug.
Problematically, however, this device cannot determine whether the drain plug is fully seated within the drain hole.
Another device uses an external box having a chain of predetermined length attached to the drain plug. With this device, when the chain is fully extended an indication circuit is completed and the user is alerted.
Disadvantageously, both of these devices are impractical because their components are bulky and implementation is not easily and readily adapted to existing drain holes and drain plugs. This results in excessive labor expense for both manufacture and implementation and, in turn, user expense.
Still other prior art devices use connection tethers, such as beaded chains, that allow the drain plug to dangle closely to the drain hole while the watercraft is draining excessive water. Yet, drain plugs on connection tethers can also be forgotten to be re-inserted before the watercraft is deployed and tethers provide no means to indicate to users that the drain plug is not properly positioned.
Accordingly, it would be an advance to provide a sensor for determining whether a drain hole is operational, i.e., for determining whether a drain plug is inserted therein, while overcoming the foregoing problems.